The Great Salvation
1 That is why we must hold on all the more firmly to the truths we have heard, so that we will not be carried away. 2 The message given to our ancestors by the angels was shown to be true, and those who did not follow it or obey it received the punishment they deserved. 3 How, then, shall we escape if we pay no attention to such a great salvation? The Lord himself first announced this salvation, and those who heard him proved to us that it is true. 4 At the same time God added his witness to theirs by performing all kinds of miracles and wonders and by distributing the gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his will.
The One Who Leads Us to Salvation
5 God has not placed the angels as rulers over the new world to come—the world of which we speak. 6 Instead, as it is said somewhere in the Scriptures:
“What are human beings, O God, that you should think of them;
mere human beings, that you should care for them?
7 You made them for a little while lower than the angels;
you crowned them with glory and honor,
8 and made them rulers over all things.”
It says that God made them “rulers over all things”; this clearly includes everything. We do not, however, see human beings ruling over all things now. 9 But we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, so that through God's grace he should die for everyone. We see him now crowned with glory and honor because of the death he suffered. 10 It was only right that God, who creates and preserves all things, should make Jesus perfect through suffering, in order to bring many children to share his glory. For Jesus is the one who leads them to salvation.
11 He purifies people from their sins, and both he and those who are made pure all have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his family. 12 He says to God,
“I will tell my people what you have done;
I will praise you in their meeting.”
13 He also says, “I will put my trust in God.” And he also says, “Here I am with the children that God has given me.”
14 Since the children, as he calls them, are people of flesh and blood, Jesus himself became like them and shared their human nature. He did this so that through his death he might destroy the Devil, who has the power over death, 15 and in this way set free those who were slaves all their lives because of their fear of death. 16 For it is clear that it is not the angels that he helps. Instead, he helps the descendants of Abraham. 17 This means that he had to become like his people in every way, in order to be their faithful and merciful High Priest in his service to God, so that the people's sins would be forgiven. 18 And now he can help those who are tempted, because he himself was tempted and suffered.
Dārgā pestīšana
1 Mums tādēļ jābūt īpaši vērīgiem pret dzirdēto, lai kāda straume mūs neaiznestu sānis. 2 Pat ja caur eņģeļiem runātais vārds ir droši piepildījies un katrs pārkāpums vai nepaklausība ir saņēmusi taisnīgu atmaksu, 3 kā gan mēs no tās izbēgsim, ja būsim nevērīgi pret tik lielu pestīšanu? To sludināja mūsu Kungs, un tie, kas to dzirdējuši, pie mums to ir apstiprinājuši, 4 un Dievs to ir apliecinājis ar zīmēm, brīnumiem un dažādiem spēkiem un izdalot Svētā Gara dāvanas pēc savas gribas.
Jēzus visās lietās kļuvis brāļiem līdzīgs
5 Ne jau eņģeļu varai viņš pakļāvis nākamo pasauli, kuru mēs sludinām. 6 Rakstos kāds ir liecinājis, sacīdams:
kas gan ir cilvēks, ka tu to piemini,
kas ir Cilvēka Dēls, ka tu to uzlūko.
7 Tu viņu uz īsu brīdi biji nolicis zemāk par eņģeļiem,
tu esi viņu vainagojis ar godu un slavu,
8 visu tu esi licis zem viņa kājām. – Visu pakļaudams viņa varai, Dievs neko nav atstājis nepakļautu. To, ka viss viņa varai pakļauts, mēs tagad vēl neredzam, 9 toties mēs redzam Jēzu, kas uz īsu brīdi nolikts zemāk par eņģeļiem, nāves ciešanu dēļ vainagots ar godu un slavu, lai Dieva žēlastībā izciestu nāvi par visiem. 10 Jo Dievam, kura dēļ ir viss un caur kuru ir viss, labpatikās, ka, ievedot godībā daudzus dēlus, viņš viņu pestīšanas vadoni caur ciešanām darīja pilnīgu. 11 Tāpat kā tas, kas svētī, arī tie, kurus svētī, visi ir no viena; un tādēļ viņš arī nekaunas saukt tos par brāļiem, 12 sacīdams:
es pasludināšu tavu vārdu savu brāļu vidū,
es dziedāšu tev slavu draudzē.
13 Un vēl viņš saka:
es paļaušos uz viņu.
Un vēl:
redzi, es un bērni, ko Dievs man devis.
14 Tādēļ ka šiem bērniem ir miesa un asinis, arī viņš tāpat ir pieņēmis miesu un asinis, lai caur nāvi iznīcinātu to, kam ir nāves vara, tas ir, velnu, 15 un lai atbrīvotu tos, kas nāves baiļu dēļ visu savu mūžu bija pakļauti verdzībā. 16 Viņam rūp nevis eņģeļi, bet gan Ābrahāma pēcnācēji. 17 Tādēļ viņam visās lietās bija jātop līdzīgam brāļiem, lai kā žēlsirdīgs un uzticams augstais priesteris, kas darbojas Dieva lietās, nolīdzinātu tautas grēkus. 18 Un, tādēļ ka viņš cietis, būdams kārdināts, viņš var palīdzēt tiem, kas tiek kārdināti.
